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News Brief

Jason Kenney Faces Criticism, Mockery After Calling For ‘Economic Sanctions’ on United States

Kenney’s calls for sanctions on United States dismissed as ‘crazy talk’

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney called for “economic sanctions” on the United States during incoming US President Joe Biden’s first day in office.

Speaking with reporters on Inauguration Day, only a few hours after Biden took his oath of office and began implementing his green energy agenda by rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement and cancelling the Keystone XL pipeline, Kenney called for retaliatory “economic sanctions” on the United States.

“…It is clear that the Government of Canada must impose meaningful trade and economic sanctions in response to defend our country’s vital economic interests.”

 

Construction already started: According to TC Energy (previously TransCanada), some 200 kilometres of pipe has already been laid since construction in Alberta started in July 2020.

Kenney bet $7.5 billion on Trump’s re-election: Critics charge Kenney started the project knowing full well it was likely to be cancelled, sinking $7.5 billion in taxpayers’ money into the project in March 2020, a month after Kenney publicly acknowledged US Democrats might cancel the project. Kenney steamed ahead with the project over the summer of 2020 even after then-Democratic nominee Biden had publicly pledged to cancel Keystone XL.

With the opposition labelling it as Kenney’s $7.5 billion “pipeline to nowhere,” opposition leader Rachel Notley raised questions about Kenney’s multibillion dollar deal with TC Energy, despite knowing the project would likely never be completed.

 

“Crazy talk”: Kenney’s call for sanctions against the US was widely greeted with criticism and mockery from political commentators and policy experts across the political spectrum.

War Room MIA: Jason Kenney’s energy “war room,” created as part of Kenney’s “fight back” strategy to defend the interests of Alberta’s oil industry, has so far remained silent on Biden’s decision to scrap Keystone. In fact, the $30 million operation has not tweeted since New Year’s Day.

[Edmonton Journal]

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